“All bodies are equal and essential. All bodies are whole. All bodies have strengths and needs that must be met. We are all powerful, not despite the complexities of our bodies, but because of them. We move together, with no body left behind. This is disability justice.”

-Patty Berne

Join Spoons, a disability justice discussion and solidarity group. During weekly meetings (each an hour and fifteen minutes in length), students gather to discuss current events impacting disabled communities, support one another in navigating campus life, build friendship and community, and consider strategies for challenging ableism on campus. The group is convened by Multicultural Affairs but led foremost by the interests of student participants. 

Spoons welcomes both disabled students who are seeking community and open dialogue about their experiences, and nondisabled students who are working to enact genuine allyship. Spoons is a come-as-you-are space, with no expectations of regular attendance and no set standard for what "active participation" looks like.

During the academic year, Spoons meetings are held on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:15 p.m. in Lerner 505. Meetings start Wednesday, September 4th, in Fall 2024.

Every week by Monday, we send out an email with what you can expect from the meeting that same week. This semester, you can anticipate discussions surrounding the following topics:

• Disability in relationships
• Cross-disability solidarity
• The idea of "self care"
• How to apply the 10 principles of Disability Justice to activism and advocacy
• Disclosing disability and asking about disability

If you'd like to join any of our meetings, complete this form to sign up and receive email communications.

Spoons takes its name from Christine Miserrandino’s Spoon Theory. 

Questions? Email disabilityjustice@columbia.edu.